NBC denies Hamas paying Gazans to riot

Telegraph Middle East correspondent Rafi Sanchez reported witnessing Gaza residents receiving monetary compensation from Hamas for injury or deaths of relatives during riots near the border with Israel.

"We met some young men earlier cashing $200 checks they got from Hamas after being shot by Israeli forces on Friday.

"The severely injured get $500 and the families of the dead get $3,000."

The leaflets accompanying the checks read in part: "Hamas offers you help in rehabilitating; together with our clerics we wish you a speedy recovery!

"Together we will preserve Jerusalem and together we will liberate Palestine!"

However, responding to a CBS Evening News interview in which Prime Minister Netanyahu states, "Hamas is paying these people. They're pushing civilians, women, children into the line of fire with the view of getting casualties", NBC Nightly News reporter Daniel Medina tweeted "Netanyahu continues to throw out conspiracy theories to US media. Reporters must push back against these types of baseless claims with zero evidence to support them."

Sanchez also reports the man in the picture saying "he didn't go to the border for the money and didn't think anyone would deliberately get shot. 'It's not about the money. You think someone would risk losing a limb or getting paralysed for $200?' Others there said they thought the money might incentivise desperate young people to take risks and get injured."

The Taylor Force Act cut United States funding to the Palestinian Authority (PA) unless the PA ceases to pay terrorists and their families. The PA itself has failed to implement the terms of the legislation. Hamas is funded by Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and other sources.